Ndineminyaka Elikhulu Ubudala Yaye Ndisomelele
NGOKUBALISWA NGURALPH MITCHELL
Ubawo, indoda ephakathi ngesithomo, wayengumshumayeli waseWesile. Wayesuswa kule icawa asiwe kwenye emva kweminyaka emibini okanye emithathu etyhutyha inkoliso yeedolophana, kuquka iAsheville, eMntla Carolina, eUnited States, apho ndazalelwa khona ngoFebruwari 1895. Ngoko ndakhula ndiyazi gqitha iNgqobhoko.
NDIKHUMBULA ndiseyinkwenkwana ndisisiwa “esiguqweni” ezimvuselelweni ukuze ndizaliswe ngumoya oyingcwele—ukuze “ndiguquke,” ngokutsho kwabo. Ndaxelelwa ukuba ndivume izono zam, ndigcine iMithetho Elishumi, yaye ndibe ngolungileyo. Ngaloo ndlela ndandiya kungena ezulwini ukufa kwam. Ndathi ngaphakathi kum, ‘Phofu, ndicinga ukuba ndiza kuya esihogweni ngenxa yokuba andilunganga ngokokude ndingene ezulwini.’ Ndandicinga ukuba ngabantu abakhulileyo kuphela—ngokukodwa abashumayeli—ababephila ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo yeBhayibhile.
Kodwa ndingekafiki nakwishumi elivisayo, ndaqalisa ukulubona uhanahaniso elunqulweni. Ngokomzekelo, ubawo wayencama iintswelo zokuphathekayo zentsapho ukuze nje anike ubhishophu imali eninzi xa eye kwinkomfa yabefundisi. Wayenethemba lokuba oku kwakuya kumenza athunyelwe kwicawa enkulu ngakumbi. Ndikhumbula omnye umshumayeli wasekuhlaleni owayekwangumlimi womqhaphu. Wayencwase ukufumana isikhundla esiphezulu, ngoko wathengisa amabhali alikhulu omqhaphu waza waya enkomfeni ephethe intywenka yemali. Xa kwakubonakala ukuba bayiqongqothe yonke imali yabo yomnikelo abaphulaphuli—inkoliso yabo eyayingabashumayeli—lo mshumayeli ongumlimi womqhaphu waxhuma waza wakhwaza esithi: “Kuphela kwale ntwana eniyinikela kubhishophu wenu? Wonke umshumayeli onikela ngeedola ezintlanu, ndiza kumongezelela ngeedola ezilishumi!” Kwaqokelelwa iidola ezingaphezu kwewaka, yaye ubhishophu wamisela le ndoda ukuba ibe ngumdala ongaphezulu kunotata. Ndandingakholelwa ukuba olo miselo lwaluvela kuThixo. Ukususela ngoko kuse phambili ndandithandabuza nantoni na enokuthanani nonqulo.
Xa iUnited States yangenela imfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala ndabhalisa emkhosini. Ndikhumbula kakuhle ndisiva abefundisi bezomkhosi beshumayeza thina majoni ukuba sililwele ngokunyaniseka ilizwe lethu, yaye oku kwasuka nje kwandenza ndalucekisa ngakumbi unqulo. Usukelo lwam lwalukukusinda, ndigqibezele imfundo yam, ndize nditshate. Kwizicwangciso zam zekamva unqulo lwalungangeni ndawo.
Ukuguquka Kwesimo Sengqondo
Ngowe-1922, ndathandana nebhinqa eliselula eligama linguLouise. Kwathi kanti wayengumKatolika ozinikeleyo, yaye xa sagqiba kwelokuba sitshate, wafuna ukuba sitshate ngendlela yamaKatolika. Noko ke, ndandingafuni naluphi na uhlobo lwenkonzo yomtshato, ngoko wavuma ukuba singatshatela kwisakhiwo sikamasipala kwisiXeko saseNew York.
Ekuqaleni sasingaxabani ngezinto zonqulo. Ndasuka nje ndamcacisela ukuba ndandingenantembelo elunqulweni nokuba logama nje sasingalukhankanyi nokulukhankanya sasiza kuhlalisana kakuhle. Ngoko, phakathi konyaka we-1924 nowe-1937, saba nabantwana—belandelelana, de saba namakhwenkwe amahlanu namantombazana amahlanu! ULouise wayefuna ukuba abantwana bethu baye kwisikolo samaKatolika. Ndandingafuni bafumane naluphi na uhlobo lwemfundo yonqulo, ngoko saxambulisana ngaloo nto.
Ekuqaleni kowe-1939 kwenzeka into eyayiza kuyiguqula ngokupheleleyo imbono yam ngonqulo. Kwafika uHenry Webber noHarry Piatt, amaNgqina kaYehova amabini, endlwini yam eRoselle, eNew Jersey. Kwathi kwacaca ngokukhawuleza ukuba babefuna ukuthetha ngombandela endandingenamdla wakuncokola ngawo—unqulo. Ukholo lwam lwalusaphazanyiswe sisibakala sokuba abefundisi emkhosini babethe, ‘Lwelani ilizwe lenu,’ ngoxa oonyawontle emva emakhaya babethe, ‘Uze ungabulali.’ Okunjani kona ukuhanahanisa! Ndazixelela ukuba ndiza kuwalungisa la maNgqina mabini. Ndathi kuwo: “Mandinixelele nantsi into. Ukuba unqulo lwenu lelokwenyaniso, zonke ke ezinye iinkonzo zezobuxoki. Kwanokuba lolunye nje kwezinye olulelokwenyaniso, zonke ke ezinye, kuquka nolwenu, zezobuxoki. Lunokuba lunye kuphela unqulo lokwenyaniso.” Into eyandimangalisa kakhulu kukuba avumelana nam!
Emva koko, andicela ukuba ndize neBhayibhile yam ndize ndiyivule kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 1:10. Apho ndafunda oku: “Ke kaloku, ndiyaniyala, bazalwana, ngalo igama leNkosi yethu, uYesu Kristu, ukuba nithethe nto-nye nonke, nokuba kungabikho zahlukahlukano kuni; ke nibe ngabalungisiweyo, nigqibelele ngqiqweni-nye, nasicamangweni sinye.” Ndachukumiseka sesi sibhalo. Kwangaxeshanye, ndandinoloyiko lokuba la madoda mabini ayezama ukundidibanisa nohlobo oluthile lonqulo olungunomgogwana. Kodwa ndandifunde okuthile—ukuba kufanele kungabikho zahlukahlukano phakathi kwamaKristu. Ndandineminye imibuzo emininzi engqondweni yam. Ngokomzekelo, Kwenzeka ntoni emphefumlweni xa umntu esifa? Hayi indlela endandikufuna ngayo ukuthetha nawo ngaloo mbuzo! Kodwa, ndicinga ukuba oko kwakuza kubangela ingxushungxushu enkulu yonqulo ekhaya.
Yandula ke enye yala madoda mabini yathi: “Singathanda ukubuya size sithethe nawe kwakhona kule veki izayo.” Ngobuchule ndazama ukubadimaza ukuba bangabuyi, kodwa umfazi wam wathetha ngokuvakalayo. Wathi: “Ralph, bafuna ukuqonda ukuba babuye nini na.” Oku kwandimangalisa, ekubeni wayengumKatolika okhutheleyo! Sekunjalo, ndacinga oku, ‘Mhlawumbi ngapha koko sinokufumana iingongoma ezithile esinokuvana ngazo kumbandela wonqulo.’ Ngoko ndavuma ukuba uHenry Webber noHarry Piatt babuyele ngoLwesihlanu olandelayo.
Ndaba ndiyaqalisa ngolo hlobo ukufundisisa iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova. Kungekudala emva koku, ndamenyelwa kwindibano eyayiseMadison Square Garden kwisiXeko saseNew York. Ndisayikhumbula kakuhle intetho kaJoseph F. Rutherford eyayisithi “URhulumente Noxolo,” awayinikela ngoJuni 25, 1939. Ndandingomnye wabantu abali-18 000 ababelapho. Eneneni, loo ntetho yayiphulaphulwe ngabantu abangama-75 000, xa ubala nabo babenxityelelaniswe ngeentambo zomnxeba nonomathotholo kumazwe ngamazwe.
Noko ke izinto azizange zihambe ngokutyibilikayo. Abalandeli bomfundisi wamaKatolika uCharles Coughlin babesongele ngokuyichitha loo ndibano, yaye kanye ngokwelizwi labo, xa uMzalwan’ uRutherford wayephakathi entethweni yakhe, amakhulu-khulu abantu abanomsindo baqalisa ukuhewula nokukhwaza amazwi afana nathi, “Heil Hitler!” kunye nathi “Viva Franco!” Kwakukho isaqunge esikhulu kangangokuba loo ngxwabangxwaba yayivakala nakwiintambo zomnxeba! Kwathabatha imizuzu emalunga ne-15 ngabalindi ukuba basithibaze eso sihlwele. Ngalo lonke elo xesha, uMzalwan’ uRutherford, engoyiki, wayengayekanga ukuthetha njengoko intswahla yezandla eyayivela kubaphulaphuli ngokuphindaphindiweyo yayimxhasa.
Ngoku ndandifuna ukwazi ngenene. Kwakutheni ukuze umfundisi wamaKatolika axhokonxe intiyo engaka ngamaNgqina kaYehova? Ndacinga ukuba kumele kubekho ubunyaniso obuthile koko kwakushunyayelwa nguRutherford—nto leyo abefundisi babengafuni ukuba abantu abafana nam bayive. Ngoko ndaqhubeka ndifundisisa iBhayibhile yaye ndisenza inkqubela. Ekugqibeleni, ngo-Oktobha we-1939, ndafuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova ngobhaptizo lwamanzi. Abanye babantwana bam babhaptizwa ngonyaka olandelayo, yaye inkosikazi yam, uLouise, yabhaptizwa ngowe-1941.
Ukujamelana Nezilingo
Kungekudala emva kokwamkela inyaniso, kwasweleka umama, ibe kwafuneka ndibuyele eNorth Carolina emngcwabeni wakhe. Ndaba noluvo lokuba andinakukwazi ukuya ngesazela esihle kwinkonzo yomngcwabo eyayiza kuqhutyelwa kwindlu yecawa yamaWesile. Ngenxa yoko ndatsalela utata umnxeba ngaphambi kokuhamba ndaza ndamcela ukuba umkhumbi awuyeke kumzi wabangcwabi. Wavuma, kodwa xa ndifika apho, babesendleleni eya ecaweni, apho babecinga kuba ngokuqinisekileyo ndiza kudibana nabo khona.
Ngoko, andizange ndiye, yaye oku kwabangela ingxushungxushu enkulu kwintsapho yakowethu. Nangona mna nodade wethu uEdna sasisoloko singumtya nethunga, emva komngcwabo kaMama wayengandithethisi. Ndambhalela iileta, kodwa wayengaziphenduli. Rhoqo ehlotyeni xa uEdna eze eNew York kwizifundo zeetitshala eziqhutyelwa kwiCity College, ndandizama ukubonana naye. Kodwa wayengavumi ukundibona, esithi wayexakekile. Ekugqibeleni ndancama, ekubeni kwakubonakala ukuba ndandimthuthumbisa. Kwadlula iminyaka emininzi ngaphambi kokuba athethe nam kwakhona.
Ngenxa yokwala kwabo ukukhahlela iflegi, abantwana bam abathandathu bagxothwa esikolweni ngowe-1941, njengoko kwakunjalo nangabaninzi abanye abantwana eUnited States naseKhanada. Ukuze kuhlangatyezwane nemfuneko esemthethweni yokuba abantwana bafunde, amaNgqina alungiselela ukuba abe nezikolo zawo ezazibizwa ngokuba ziZikolo ZoBukumkani. Abantwana bam babefunda kwisikolo esasiseLakewood, eNew Jersey, kwindawo eyayisakuba yihotele. IHolo yoBukumkani yayikumgangatho wokuqala, kunye negumbi lokufundela lesikolo, ikhitshi nendawo yokudlela. Kumgangatho wesibini yayingamagumbi okulala amantombazana, yaye amagumbi okulala amakhwenkwe ayekumgangatho wesithathu. Yayisisikolo esifanelekileyo. Inkoliso yabantwana ababehlala apho yayigoduka ngeempela-veki kuphela. Abo babehlala qelele babegoduka rhoqo emva kweeveki ezimbini.
Ukususela kwiminyaka yam yokuqala ndisenyanisweni, ndandikunqwenela gqitha ukuba nguvulindlela, ngokwendlela ababizwa ngayo abashumayeli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova. Kwindibano yowe-1941 eyayiseSt. Louis, eMissouri, umzalwana owayekucwangciso wabalisa indlela awayesenza ngayo ukuze abe nguvulindlela ngoxa ekhulisa abantwana abali-12. Ndacinga oku, ‘Ukuba unokuba nguvulindlela enabali-12, ndinokuba nguvulindlela xa abam beli-10.’ Noko ke, iimeko zam azizange zindivumele ukuba ndiqalise ubuvulindlela de kwaba yiminyaka eli-19 kamva. Ekugqibeleni, ngo-Oktobha 1, 1960, ndakwazi ukuqalisa ukukhonza uYehova njengovulindlela othe ngxi.
Utyelelo Olwalungalindelekanga
Ngowe-1975, ndafumana umnxeba owawuvela kudade wethu uEdna. Ngoku ndandineminyaka engama-80 ubudala, yaye ndandingazange ndimbone okanye ndilive ilizwi lakhe kangangeminyaka enokuba ngama-20. Wayenditsalel’ umnxeba esesikhululweni seenqwelo-moya, yaye wandicela ukuba ndize kumphuthuma yena nomyeni wakhe. Ndakuvuyela ukubona uEdna kwakhona, kodwa eyona nto yayiza kundimangalisa kakhulu yayiseza. Endleleni eya ekhaya, umyeni wakhe wathi, “Nineguquka.” Ndandingakwazi oko wayethetha kona. Xa sifika endlwini, waphinda wathi, “Nineguquka apha.” Umfazi wam waqonda kwangoko. Ephethukela kudade wethu, wambuza oku, “Edna, ngaba uliNgqina?” UEdna waphendula ngelithi, “Utsho nawe.”
Kwenzeka njani ukuba uEdna amkele inyaniso? Kaloku, ngowe-1972, ndisenza umgudu wokungciba ulwalamano lwethu olwaluphazamisekile, ndamthumelela isipho somrhumo weMboniselo. Malunga nonyaka kamva, uEdna wagula yaye wahlala emzini wakhe. Amaphephancwadi ayesephezu kwedesika yakhe esasongwe okokoko. Efuna nje ukwazi uEdna wavula lalinye waza waqalisa ukufunda. Akuligqiba eli phephancwadi, wazicingela oku, ‘Yinyaniso le!’ Ngexesha lokutyelela kwamaNgqina kaYehova emzini wakhe, wayewafunde wawagqiba onke loo maphephancwadi eMboniselo ayefumbe apho. Wasamkela isifundo seBhayibhile, yaye ekuhambeni kwethuba waba ngomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova.
Ukuhlangabezana Nelahleko
Ekugqibeleni umfazi wam, uLouise, waba nesifo seswekile, yaye imeko yakhe yaba mbi ngakumbi de walishiya eli ngowe-1979, eneminyaka engama-82 ubudala. Ekufeni kukaLouise, inxalenye yam yafa naye. Kwathi pam kum. Ndaphatha ndiyeka ndingazi ukuba mandenzeni na. Ndandingenzanga malungiselelo ekamva, ibe ndandikufuna gqitha ukukhuthazwa. Umveleli ohambahambayo, uRichard Smith, wandikhuthaza ukuba ndiqhubeke nekhondo lam lobuvulindlela. Ndafumanisa ukuba eyona nto yayindithuthuzela yayikukuthuthuzela abanye ababelahlekelwe ngabathandekayo ekufeni.
IWatch Tower Society yayisenza amalungiselelo okhenketho lokuya kwaSirayeli ngowe-1979, ngoko ndabhalisa. Olu hambo lwandivuselela kakhulu, yaye ndakubuyela ekhaya, ndaphindela kwangoko kumsebenzi wenkonzo yobuvulindlela. Nyaka ngamnye ukususela ngelo xesha, ndiye ndakwenza umsebenzi wam ukuncedisa kumhlaba ongabelwanga bani okanye ongafane usetyenzwe kwenye inxalenye yelizwe. Nangona iminyaka yam ihambile, ndisakwazi ukuzenza ndifumaneke kweli lungelo.
Ndithelekelela ukuba kule minyaka idluleyo, ndiye ndanovuyo lokunceda abantu abanokuba ngama-50 bangena endleleni esa ebomini. Inkoliso yabantwana bam isenyanisweni. Iintombi zam ezimbini zikhonza njengoovulindlela abathe ngxi. Enye intombi, uLouise Blanton, ikhonza kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York, nomyeni wayo, uGeorge, yaye omnye woonyana bam ebekhonza njengomdala kangangeminyaka emininzi.
Kambe ke, ngenxa yokungafezeki esakuzuza njengelifa kubazali bethu bokuqala abangabantu, sonke siyagula size sife. (Roma 5:12) Ngokuqinisekileyo ubomi bam bebunazo iintlungu neengqaqambo. Ndithetha nje ndiqaqanjelwa ngamathambo kulo mlenze wam wasekhohlo. Maxa wambi undikhathaza kakhulu, kodwa awundithinteli ekuhambahambeni. Yaye ndithandazela ukuba ungandithinteli. Ndifuna ukuqhubeka ndihamba. Owona mnqweno mkhulu endinawo kukuqhubeka nenkonzo yobuvulindlela kude kuse ekupheleni, ndisenza konke endinako ekwaziseni igama neenjongo zikaYehova.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
Ndikunye nentombi yam uRita